Page 86 of Faking with the Fae King

Finn slips past the next, saying, “Maybe.”

Then he discovers the wood nymph and gnome representatives for me before finishing with another maybe. After making one last circle of the two Severins left, Finn looks at me, his voice a whine, “I can’t tell. They’re both smoky.”

“It’s okay, little bud. That’s the glamour trying its hardest to fool you. You did great.”

Good news? I got it down to two people a lot more quickly than Meloria did. Bad news? I’m out of ideas for how to use my magic to figure out the rest.

It’s up to me now, regular old me, Hannah Wylde.

But I’m not regular! I’m a witch with a whole coven of besties at my back. I’m the youngest mayor ever of Ferndale Falls, ready to fight for my town.

I’m the woman who loves Severin.

The first Severin looks exactly like the real thing, down to the unbelievably perfect hair and the tiny smirk at the corner of his lips. I stare into his eyes, looking for something, a spark, a connection, but there’s nothing.

That’s fine. If I have a connection with the other Severin, this will be easy!

Only… the second Severin looks exactly like the first. His eyes give nothing away. I had some intro psych classes in college, the kind that’s supposed to help you deal with people in your political life, and I remember learning that everything about people’s eyes is down to the micro expressions the surrounding muscles make. With the bridal crystal’s magic locking them in place, they can’t show anything.

Which means I don’t have any way to know which man is Severin.

Despair swamps me as I stand halfway between them, afraid to move. Which is the real Severin? Which is the fake? The sand keeps falling in my hour glass, reminding me there’s no freaking time for hesitation. But what if I make the wrong decision? Oh, god! I can’t get this close and fail. Fifty-fifty sounds like fine odds if you’re playing cards with friends or something, but when you’re determining the future of thousands of peopleandyour one shot at true love, it freaking sucks.

My magic swirls inside of me, wanting to do something, but I can’t think of a single animal that can help me now.

The start of a sob hitches my breath.

Magic surges from the right in a flow of power I know almost as well as I know my own. My magic leaps forward to join it, tangling together just like it does when we make love.

It’s Severin! I know it in my heart. I feel it in my soul. I leap toward him, my arms circling his neck.

The second we touch, he’s released from the magical hold. His arms crush me to him. “Hannah, my enchanting Hannah.”

“I found you.” Happy tears blur his dear face.

Varyn’s voice rings through the garden. “Hannah is the winner of the trial of discernment with a time of thirty-three seconds.”

“Yes!” I give a loud whoop. Joy fills my chest with bubbling brightness. I did it! I won! I saved Ferndale Falls.I’ve given Severin and his people a permanent home here on Earth.

My hands tighten around Severin’s neck as I press closer. I also won an entire year with the man I love.

A loud chime echoes from the pillar of rose quartz, followed by a booming voice: “King Severin, you have three successful candidates to choose from, Elowen of the wood nymphs, Ruby of the gnomes, and Hannah of the human witches. Who do you choose as your bride?”

Severin meets my eyes. “I choose Hannah, my betrothed.”

Finn rushes over, yipping with joy. “See! I told you I’d help you win!”

“Thank you.” I crouch down and give him a hug. “You’re the best familiar ever.”

He licks my chin in a little kiss.

Severin leans over to scratch around Finn’s ears, a little hesitant, like someone who’s never had a pet, but trying. “Thank you, Finn.”

Naomi reaches us next, throwing her arms around me as soon as I stand up. “You did it!”

“Thank you for all of your help!” I sink against her for a moment, thankful once again that my friend gives the best hugs.

My phone vibrates in my jeans, and Naomi laughs. “That’ll be the others saying congrats. I used the group chat to let the Witch Bitches know!”

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